The present invention relates to a winged catheter securing tape for securing a winged catheter to the skin of a patient without stitching it thereto and without applying it directly to the skin and thereafter taping over it.
By way of background, there are numerous types of winged catheters in medical use. These include subclavian catheters, IJ catheters, femoral catheters, Hickman catheters and fistula needles. The above various types of winged catheters have wings extending outwardly from a central portion thereof. There are two types of wings. One type has holes in the wings, and it is sutured to a patient's skin by passing sutures through holes in the wings and through the skin of the patient. A second type has its wings applied directly to the skin or onto a non-adhesive surface of a tape which is adhesively applied to the skin and is held in position by a tape which passes over the top of the wings. The first type requires direct suturing to the skin. The second type is subject to the deficiency that it may not be held securely in position, and, in certain instances, the wings may irritate the skin when they are applied directly thereto. It is with overcoming the foregoing deficiencies of winged catheters that the present winged catheter securing tape is concerned.
While the winged catheter securing tape of the present invention is applicable to all of the above-mentioned winged catheters, and also to others which have not been mentioned, the following description will be confined to a fistula needle type of winged catheter inasmuch as it is representative of all winged catheters which are defined as “a tubular medical device for insertion into canals, vessels, passageways or body cavities, usually to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to keep a passage open. II (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1973).